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by Joe Rhatigan and Veronika Alice Gunter
Topics: Fifth Grade, Science
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By fifth grade, kids haven't yet decided that chemistry is confusing or uncool - it's just straight up fun! Help keep your child's scientific enthusiasm alive by giving them them the coolest, craziest experiments to try!
 
In this experiment,  you'll get your kid's hands on a concoction that breaks the rules of what's a solid and what's a liquid. Sometimes called “oobleck” after the Dr. Seuss nonsense word, this unique slime has some surprising behaviors that will leave young experimenters craving more chemistry!

 

What You Need

 

Bowl
Measuring cups
Water
Cornstarch
Food coloring (optional)
Resealable plastic bag

 

What You Do

 

  • Pour ⅓ cup of water into the bowl. If you want to add food coloring, drip five drops into the water.

  • Measure ¾ cup of cornstarch and begin sprinkling it into the water, a little at a time, until the measuring cup is empty.

  • Let the concoction stand for three or four minutes.

 

Now reach a hand (or both!) into the concoction and press the slime into a hard ball. Open your hand and watch and feel the ball return to its liquid state!

 

Store your slime in a resealable bag. (Never pour slime down the drain. If you need to discard it, put it in the trash.)

 

Why it Works

 

Slime is a polymer (a natural or man-made compound made of long chains of identical molecules called monomers). It's also a "non-Newtonian fluid." That means it breaks the rules that scientist Isaac Newton wrote saying a liquid moves and acts the same whether you're squeezing it, holding it, or just observing it. How does it do it? Cross-links of molecules and the right proportion of ingredients!